Back in May 1991, two former Sale WRFC players, hooker Maggie Waugh and prop Jenny Canner, thought it would be a good idea to start a new team at Manchester Rugby Club. They were very familiar with the club, having been going there every week to support their ‘other halves’ Chris Waugh and Jamie McLaren, who both played for Manchester’s social teams at the time.

They drafted in Jenni Deakin as Number 8, who had played rugby at University, and together they started recruiting for new players. Jamie McLaren had been a member of MRC for many years, and having gained some experience coaching Sale WRFC the previous season, he now took on the role of coaching Manchester’s Women’s team, with Chris Waugh assisting.

The first training session took place on the 3rd July, and training continued through the summer, with the emphasis on teaching basic rugby skills to the new players, in an open and friendly environment. There was also lots of fun to be had, with various social events organised to bond the team together as friends as well as teammates.

By the end of the summer, there were enough players (with a couple on loan from Sale) to form a full team, and with Maggie as captain they were ready for their first fixture. The inaugural match took place at Manchester’s home ground, Grove Park, on Saturday 16th November 1991, against Selly Oak. Sadly, the match ended in defeat for Manchester, but the players had enjoyed their match experience and the team continued to play games for the rest of the season.

Jamie McLaren continued to coach the team until his departure from the club two years later, at which point the role was taken on by Mark Shotton, husband of scrum half Sharon. Mark was at the helm for a few months, and then Bryan Fisher came along. Bryan was coaching the Manchester Colts at the time, but he must have enjoyed the new challenges he found with taking on the Ladies’ team, as he has remained involved ever since, and still wears a coaching hat to this day.

At that point the league was restructured, and Manchester found themselves playing in North West Division 3 against local opposition such as Sedgely Park and Macclesfield. By this time the Manchester team had a backbone of regular core players, and the coaching staff had expanded to include Keith Warhurst, who played for Manchester at the time.

At the end of the 1998/99 season, Bryan Fisher left for a while, and Keith took over the coaching role during this time, working alongside captain Jenni Deakin. The 1999/2000 season saw an upturn in fortune as Manchester gained new players and coaches as well as much needed support. Paul Farrington and Terry Hall both became involved in coaching, following their respective girlfriends into the squad.

Inevitably the team lost some elder players over the years, but they continued to develop as new players joined to accompany the backbone of Deakin, Canner, and flanker Pip Southern. Younger players were enticed and cajoled to have a go - daughters and friends of existing club members, as well as those who had hitherto been supporters, such as erstwhile club barmaid Karen Green, and physios Liz Bouch and Steph Wychrij.

Over the years there were some hard times when player numbers declined until only a handful were turning up for training, but whereas many other teams in the area threw in the towel and disbanded, Manchester were determined to carry on. This determination kept the team going through the rough patches, and they always managed to rise up again.

Love is in the air at Manchester! There have been four marriages (so far) between players who met each other at the club – Karen Green & Keith Warhurst, Jenny Canner & Paul Farrington, Natalie Pendlebury & Terry Hall, and Steph Wychrij & Jonathan Doney. The family theme doesn’t end there, as there have also been a mother and daughter who both played for the team – Diane and Jeni Fantom.

The present-day senior women’s team are performing well in Championship North 2, and although all the players from the early days have now retired from the game, some of them have been persuaded to dust the cobwebs off their boots to appear in a special celebration match, Former Players versus Current Players, which is scheduled to take place on the morning of 26th November. This will be followed by a Former Players’ luncheon (along with the chaps and supporters), and then a big 25th anniversary reunion party for the rest of the day and night. Any former Manchester Ladies players are encouraged to get in touch for details of this special day:

10:30 Women's Game
12:30 Re-union lunch (£20, including 3 course meal and entry to 1st XV game)
14:15 First XV v Broughton Park
19:30 'til late - Club Party

If anyone would like to attend the lunch, please speak to Dink or Nat to confirm your attendance.

We hope to see as many of you as possible to celebrate this great achievement for the club.